Lucama Man Killed In Collision With School Bus

A 79 year-old man died Wednesday morning when his car plowed into the back of a school bus.

The fatal collision occurred at 6:30am on Highway 301 just north of Lucama near Bass Road in Wilson County.

State troopers said the school bus, assigned to Hunt High School, was traveling north of Highway 301 when it stopped to pick up a student. Once the student boarded and was seated, the bus began to move forward, at which time it was struck from behind by a 1992 Buick passenger car driven by James Earl Cockrell, 79, of Lucama. Cockrell died as a result of the collision.

A total of 12 students were on the bus at the time of the collision. Five were taken to Wilson Memorial Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.